


White Clouds

by SlaladQueen



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: M/M, bang chan is a sad boi, but i like it, but its not really that sad or deep ngl, it was sad hours when i wrote this, my bad - Freeform, spoilers they dont actually talk to each other, woojin is late for his classes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 19:33:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18817561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlaladQueen/pseuds/SlaladQueen
Summary: Woojin was going to be so late for class, but the piano music was more interesting than history anyway.





	White Clouds

**_Monday._ **  
**_13:27._ **

He was going to be late. 

He was going to be so, so late. His class started over ten minutes ago and Woojin was still nowhere near the lecture hall. It was a Monday, the halls were empty, Woojin had lost the time in the library, and now he was late.

To get to his obligatory and incredibly boring history lecture, he had to run through the halls containing all the practice rooms for the music majors. That’s why it didn’t surprise him when he heard a slow piano melody coming from one of the rooms, simply marked with a faded sticker saying _PIANO_ on the frosted glass.

Woojin stopped because the person was playing too slowly, repeating some parts and playing the wrong keys. Every now and then there was a sniffle and what sounded like crying. Woojin hesitated as he was about to pass the door, wondering if he should ask if the person was okay or not when the piano stopped playing for a few moments.

The music started again, going over the same few tones again and again and again and again. Woojin bit his tongue and picked up his pace again as he hurried to his class. It wasn’t his place to interfere with the stranger.

*** *** ***

**_Tuesday._ **  
**_09:14._ **

Woojin yawned as he dragged his feet through the empty halls. His first class of the day wasn’t going to start until a quarter to ten, so he had plenty of time to get to the right place. He took his usual walk through the corridor with the practice rooms, thankfully going away from the dreaded history classroom. Knowing that and hearing the music majors practice their instruments was always a nice way to start his Tuesday. 

Most rooms stood empty, but a few had people inside. A violinist warming up, a guitar player gently going through an easier song, a drummer creating a nice beat. 

The door with the faded _PIANO_ sticker was closed, just like the day before. There was slow and out of tune playing coming from inside and faint crying, just like the day before. Woojin recognised the melody, noticing how the person playing was going over a different part of the song.

They played nicely for maybe ten seconds before pressing the wrong key, repeating that segment slowly a couple of times before starting over from the beginning.

Woojin stayed outside the frosted glass door for a minute or two before moving again, wanting to get to his class in time. The person behind the door continued to play the piano.

*** *** ***

**_Wednesday._ **  
**_12:48._ **

The practice room corridor was bustling with students as Woojin made his way to the lunch hall. A few of the doors lining the walls were open. A small gang of girls walked past, chatting loudly. Woojin pressed himself against the wall to not get trampled as one of the girls said something, all of them shrieking. 

The faint sound of a piano playing caught his attention. He peeled himself off from the door, taking a look at it. The frayed _PIANO_ sticker greeted him and he stepped closer to the door again, letting people pass him.

The person inside had gotten better and they weren’t crying anymore. At least, Woojin couldn’t hear it. The person barely played out of tune now, maybe only pressing the wrong key once or twice. Woojin wasn’t sure just how fast the original song they were playing was supposed to be, but he was pretty sure that they were playing it very slowly.

Woojin’s phone chimed in his pocket and he checked it, seeing a text from his friends telling him they were in the lunch hall. 

Woojin put his phone back in his pocket, taking a few more moments to listen to the person playing the piano press the wrong key, remain silent for three seconds and then start over again. He left before the person started over again.

*** *** ***

**_Thursday._ **  
**_10:39._ **

Woojin wasn’t going to hurry this time. His class had dragged over and he was going to be late, but he was tired and didn’t feel like running.

As expected, the halls were all empty so he decided to walk through the practice room corridor, hoping to maybe hear the piano playing again. There were many mixed and muted melodies filtering through walls into the corridor, but Woojin searched for one in particular.

He stopped just before he reached the room marked with the faded _PIANO_ sticker when he noticed that the door was open. There was no music coming from inside the room, but instead a man talking. Woojin recognised the voice as one of the many teachers in the musical department.

“-you know that right? Chan, we’re sorry, but if you don’t start coming to your classes in time, nonetheless at all, you’re going to-”

“My mom died last Sunday. I hadn’t seen her in person in over a year.” 

It was the first time Woojin heard the voice of who he assumed was the person playing the piano every time he passed by. The guy sounded sad and Woojin could easily understand why he’d been crying all week. Woojin himself felt like crying, just from the thought of his own mother passing away so soon. Chan spoke again, voice hollow and empty.

“My mom died last Sunday, and I didn’t know where to go besides here. I… I want to be able to play her favourite song for her funeral. A way to say goodbye and thank her for everything. I’m sorry I’ve missed so many classes, sir.” 

“I,” the teacher began, hesitating. His voice softened. “I see. How far have you gotten?”

There was a moment of silence after the question that Woojin knew the answer to, more or less. “About three fourths. But slowly. It’s a work in progress.” 

“Please, play it for me. I’ll make sure to inform your teachers about your absence for this hour.” 

Woojin assumed Chan nodded as no sound was made besides the slight noise of the small stool being dragged closer to the piano. Woojin crept closer to the door opening as Chan began playing, going through the first part of the song with relative ease. 

The song was pretty, a slow intro building up into a faster, melancholy melody. Chan made a few mistakes here and there that were pretty obvious, but he kept going. He faltered around what Woojin guessed was the end, finishing it off by whispering, “that’s all I know.”

“It was beautiful, Chan. What is it called?” Woojin nodded at the teacher’s question. The same thought had crossed his own mind many times the past week.

“It’s called Nuvole Bianche, by Ludovico Einaudi. Mom used to play it for me when I couldn’t sleep.” 

Woojin bit his tongue and forced down the lump in his throat, an unexpected bout of sadness washing over him at the sound of Chan’s tired voice. He pushed himself off the wall he’d been leaning against, backtracking until he was sure that the two people inside the room couldn’t hear him anymore. 

He missed his class, but he now knew the whole melody of the song Chan had been playing.

*** *** ***

**_Friday._ **  
**_16:03._ **

Woojin stretched as his last class ended for the day, letting his classmates rush out as he took his time collecting his things. He had a short note in his pocket and hoped that Chan would be in the practice room with the frayed and faded _PIANO_ sticker. 

He swallowed harshly as he finally got out of his seat. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, but his hands were sweaty anyway.

He hadn’t told his mom the reason as to why he called her when he got home, telling her he loved her and that he wanted to come home for a visit soon. His mom had happily told him he was welcome any time. Woojin had cried after he hung up.

The halls were emptying surprisingly fast, Woojin noted as he took a detour through the practice room corridor. The door he looked for would be on the other side than he was used to now, as he came from the other direction.

It wasn’t hard to find.

Woojin stopped outside it, hand hovering in the air, ready for him to knock. Then he brought his hand down, shaking his head. He didn’t want to interrupt the melody. Woojin felt a new wave of tears building behind his eyes, so he blinked quickly as the song reached its second slow part.

The note in his hand was folded in half and Woojin crouched down. The paper slid soundlessly under the door as the music gradually built up again.

Woojin remained until the slow, hacky, uneven and unsure end of the song before leaving.

*** *** ***

**_Monday._ **  
**_13:26._ **

There was no piano singing behind the frosted glass door and the faded _PIANO_ sticker. There was no music or struggling Chan. Woojin swallowed once and lowered his eyes onto the ground as he walked past without stopping, noticing how the door was slightly ajar to show an empty room with a piano that had gathered a fine layer of dust over the weekend.

Woojin hoped Chan had gotten his note.

*** *** ***

_I’ve accidentally listened to your piano playing since last Monday. You’ve improved massively. I’m really sorry I overhear about your mom, but I’m sure she’s very proud of you. If I were her, I’d been smiling down at you from the white clouds now. Stay strong, keep fighting._

_< 3_

*** *** ***

**_A month later, Monday._ **  
**_13:36._ **

Woojin was going to be late again, but this time he didn’t care.

The notes were perfect, each in the right place at the right time. If Woojin hadn't heard the struggle the man inside had gone through to learn it, he would've thought it was the recording of the song that Woojin often listened to. 

And Woojin had heard the original version enough times to know the ending tones were coming up so he decided to stay where he was. His class was about to start any moment now, but what did a minute or two more of absence matter? 

The final note rang out, echoing inside the practice room and through the closed door with the faded _PIANO_ sticker. Chan let out a small sigh, sounding so much more content since Woojin heard him talk to the teacher a month ago. 

_'You did it,'_ Woojin praised him in his thoughts. _'I bet your mom is really proud of you.'_

The soft melody started again, piano crying with Chan's goodbye. Woojin started walking away from the closed door. He smiled.

Maybe one day he'd be on the other side of the door when the piano began to sing.

**Author's Note:**

> I'M ALIVE!!!!!
> 
> And Uuhhhh thanks for reading if you made it this far ily uwu <3
> 
> Also I wrote this in one go at like midnight and english isn't my first language so if theres any mistakes pls remember that and feel free to correct me thanks uwu
> 
> Also also pls listen to the song i made chan play bc its like genuinly beautiful and my fave piano song rn and if you have netflix then watch Ricky Gervais's show Derek bc it was thanks to that i found the song plus the inspo for this fic and its generally just a really wholesome show uwu #spon
> 
> ANYWAYS thanks for reading ilyall so much byeeeeeeeee <3


End file.
